One of the most common questions people ask is how to remove a padlock without a key. The first thing you should do is find out where the lock was purchased.
If you know the store, it’s worth contacting them, and they may be able to help you reach the manufacturer.
If you don’t know where it was purchased, try, and find out what type of lock it is. Different locks require different techniques, so knowing this will narrow your options down considerably.
A padlock can be removed by using an ice pick or screwdriver to gently push on the locking mechanism until it releases from its housing.
It’s important not to use too much force as this could damage the lock or break apart inside that holds it together.
If all else fails, use your car jack or a sledgehammer to break open the lock by hitting it at its weakest point – either end of it while keeping pressure on top of it with your foot.
Different Ways To Remove A Padlock When Key Is Lost
It may be necessary to break a lock if you have misplaced the keys and cannot unlock them. You can bypass almost any basic commercial-grade lock if you have the right tools and a little know-how.
You can crack a standard padlock with a hammer, screwdriver, or pair of open-ended wrenches.
Using a canister of compressed air and a hammer to smash especially tough locks like those on bikes are also creative ways to solve the problem.
1. Using A Bolt Cutter
This is the fastest way to open a padlock if you do not have a key. However, you will lose the ability to use the lock.
If you want to open a lock using bolt cutters, place them on either side of the shackle (the component on top of the lock that has a u-shaped shape).
You can then remove the lock from the door or box by squeezing the handles of the bolt cutters together until the shackle is severed.
In addition to a wheel grinder, a power drill can also be used to cut through a steel lock pretty quickly; however, this method is quite noisy.
2. Using A Pair Of Wrenches To Break A Padlock
Step 1:
You will need two open-ended wrenches. Again, it doesn’t matter what size wrench you use; it will work. As a general rule, however, larger heads will exert more pressure on the lock, making wrenches work better.
For the lock to be secured tightly, both wrenches must be close to the same size so that the force can be evenly distributed between both sides of the shackle.
Step 2:
Ensure the wrenches’ open ends secure each side of the shackle. Bring the wrench handles together as closely as possible once the wrenches are in position. As a result, the two internal arms of the wrench heads should butt up against each other.
You should place the wrenches right in the middle of the shackle’s vertical shafts. They may slip off once you apply pressure if they’re too high or too low.
Make sure that the wrench handles don’t slip, shift, or lose their grip before you try to break the lock.
Step 3:
When the shackle breaks in two, force the wrench handles together and put as much pressure as you can on the handles toward your midline, remember to remain patient and don’t give up until the shackle is snapped.
Ultimately, it will break down the middle when it finally gives way. Your grip on the handles may need to be choked up so that your palms, instead of your fingers, are doing most of the work.
Using a folded piece of paper or similar object, slip it between the arms of a large lock or small set of wrenches you’re working with to create the necessary traction.
Step 4:
The lock can be removed by fishing out both halves of the shackle. The broken shackle is now all that needs to be pulled out after you’ve successfully snapped it.
Since the ends will still be secured in the locking mechanisms inside the lock, you may need to twist or jiggle them a few times to free them.
It might be possible to tear the shackle free all at once if the lock you’re breaking has a plastic body.
Squeeze harder and harder, but still can’t break the shackle? Then, use another method, such as hammering it a few times to get it loose.
3. Using A Hammer To Break A Padlock
Step 1:
Tension can be created by pulling up on the shackle. To remove the shackle, insert two fingers in the shackle loop and pull them apart to remove the shackle.
Doing this, you can crack the lock quickly since the locking pins will be in their correct position.
Check that the shackle has no excess slack. No matter how many times you hit the lock, you will never be able to remove it. Ensure not to grip the lock’s body, as this is where your hammer will be aimed.
Step 2:
Use a hammer or similar tool to repeatedly tap the side of the lock. As the pins are located just beneath the fixed end of the shackle, you will need to target the side containing the shackle’s fixed end.
Use quick, short strikes to repeatedly pound the lock. The pins will eventually disengage enough to push the lock open by bumping it. A screwdriver handle or other hard, blunt item can also be used in the absence of a hammer.
Warning: Be careful not to swing for the fences. Overriding the lock is not a matter of brute force but of continuous movement of the pins. Your chances of getting injured will increase when you tee up.
Step 3:
Don’t forget to reuse your lock once you’re done. As long as you don’t hit it hard enough to damage any pins when you hammer a padlock open, it should still work as if nothing had happened.
Test your lock as soon as you are done breaking it. Keeping it for future use is a good idea if it fastens appropriately.
You can toss it in the trash if it isn’t. This method may be useful when you need to remove a padlock without the keys but don’t want to destroy it.
4. Using The Shim Method
Shims are small pieces of metal shaped so that you can insert them between the shackle and body of the lock.
Next, you should insert the thicker part of the shim inside of the lock and wiggle the shim back and forth until you hear the latch click.
For example, a padlock shim should have two thin sides and a curved thicker middle part. As a result of this action, the lock should open, and you should be able to access the materials you are looking for.
5. Make A Call To A Locksmith
If you’ve already tried most of the above methods, it’s time to call a locksmith to unlock the lock. In most cases, he will bring bolt cutters and replace the lock, but he may also make a new key for you.
Locks can be opened by locksmiths more easily than by anyone else. A locksmith is a professional who creates, installs, and repairs locks.
The cost of fixing a door lock usually falls between 50 and 100 dollars, and the cost of opening a padlock falls between five and ten dollars. Training programs and registration with the state are mandatory for all locksmiths.
Moreover, locksmiths must purchase insurance for their businesses. Finally, a locksmith is a person you should turn to if you cannot open your lock.
What’s The Best Way To Break A Padlock If You’ve Lost The Key?
The shackle of a padlock is usually case-hardened. It may be possible to get partway through the shackle with bolt cutters.
But in the process, your bolt cutters’ jaws will be damaged, so you will be unable to continue cutting (unless it’s a highly cheap padlock).
The chain or staple that attaches the lock to the hasp is often not hardened. Cutting staples or chains is often easier than cutting locks. Similar to what you would do if you were using a saw or an abrasive cutting wheel.
By cutting through the lock, you can quickly get through what the lock is on. If all else fails, attack the hinges. If you try to pull the pin, a barrel will be in the way. You need to cut off the barrel.
A padlock can be replaced for a reasonable price, so it won’t break the bank. However, in some cases, replacing them can be a bit – or quite a bit – more expensive.
Take it to your local locksmith if it isn’t attached to anything. Call the locksmith for a service call if it is on an item or structure. Then you won’t have to spend money on tools and time on the job.
Final Words
You should spend some time learning about the basic design and operation of different types of locks. Knowing exactly what you’re facing will help you find a solution more easily.
A cheap lock, especially one made from plastic, is always easier to break than a metal lock. It is never a good idea to break a lock you do not own.
Trying to gain access to someone else’s property by tampering with a lock is a crime and can get you arrested.
